Mega Man 5

In the annals of robo-history, before the famous doctor we all know and love gave the breath of mechanical life to our hero, he created the very first android ever. However, this prototype 'droid had a few screws loose, and it slipped away into the galaxy to spread chaos!

Sound like another cheesy installment in the Data vs. Lore saga on Star Trek: The Next Generation? No way, we're talking Mega Man V! Proto Man, Dr. Light's original invention, appears to have gone on a helter-skelter robo-rampage. His army of eight all-new 'bots trashes the city and kidnaps Dr. Light. Mega-ally, Dr. Cossack, flashes the proverbial MM signal in the sky, and Mega Man is hot on the trail of his renegade brother!

As in the previous games, you step into Mr. Titanium's boots and battle eight robots in any order to snare their weapons. Once you've sent the crazy eight to the scrapyard in the sky, you move on to Proto Man's four-level castle. Crash his party and you'll steamroll into the final four-stage fortress, owned and operated by you-know-who. In total, the 16 levels are identical in length and difficulty to MM 4.

ProTips:

As you acquire weapons, use your newfound powers to nail other bosses. For example, slow down Gyro Man with the Gravity Hold, and shatter Crystal Man with the Gyro Attack.

Make your life easier with the classic Energy Tank loop trick. Take a Tank, commit suicide until the game's over, continue, and grab the tank again. Carry a full stock of Tanks before entering Proto Man's domain.

Mega Moves

MM's well-rounded arsenal is enhanced in spots, but nearly unchanged. His main tool of the trade, the Mega Buster, can shoot pellets or power-up to unleash a big blast. Supplemental weapons can be garnered by nailing Charge Man, Napalm Man, Gyro Man, Stone Man, Crystal Man, Wave Man, Star Man, and Gravity Man. By collecting hidden letters that spell M-e-g-a-M-a-n-V, Mega Man can also call a new friend into action, an attack robot named Beat.

Use the Super Arrow as a stepping stone to reach high-up Energy Tanks and save yourself from long falls.

Most guns have a ''waiting period," which restricts firing to only one shot at a time. To counter this problem, press Start to Pause, then press Start again to un-pause. This will remove on-screen bullets and enable you to fire your gun again without waiting.

On the transportation side of the fence, Mega Man gets a dashing assortment of movers and shakers. MM's best friend, Rush the robo-puppy, can propel him as a coil or provide an airlift as a jet. The Wire and Balloon Adaptors from MM 4 are gone, replaced by a Super Arrow that acts as a sticky plunger and helps the Man scale walls. One water-based area puts Mega Man in a jet ski boat for a thrilling shoot-em-up sequence. As always, Mega-controls are flawless.

When confronted by a sticky Phase Block situation, use Rush Jet to take the high road and bypass this nuisance altogether.

Look for one Beat letter in each of the first eight levels! You'll need this buddy to "beat" through Doc Wily's kingdom.

Robot Ruckus

Like a fine old oak tree, Capcorn preserves the traditional side-view Mega Man game play, while injecting a measured dose of “new and improved" to the enemies. Familiar foes make reappearances, and some get facelifts, such as the Hard Hat Macs and their gaggle of kids. Factory-fresh creations include Crystal Warriors, Crazy Chickens, and Flying Robo-Fish. The mechanical menagerie keeps players on their toes, but the password feature brings the challenge down to Earth.

To dispatch the Head of the Deep in Wave Man's level, wait until its nostrils peek out of the water, then leap and open fire.

Mega Rehash

Capcorn must get some sort of cash back rebate for recycling video games, because 1993's Mega Man is déjà vu all over again for disciples of the series. If you're one of the few NESers who've never fired up the Mega Buster or thrown Rush a bolt, this installment is a great place to start your Mega-training. For MM die-hards, the game's still first-class, but it's only a baby step for robot-kind.

Other games byCapcom

Mega Man 5 Downloads

Proto Maris got Dr. Light. But Mega Man is back - ready to put some heavy pedal to the metal to defeat Stone Man, Gyro Man, Star Man, Wave Man, Charge Man and other robotic goons. Use his Mega Buster and Super Arrow to make it to the castle and put Proto Man on the scrap heap forever.

reggie posted a review

Mega Man V?! That's right, Capcorn's sending the "man" out on a record- breaking seventh video game mission. The name of this game's almost the same, and Capcorn's planning on sticking with their program for success. They promise the most challenging Mega Man adventure to date. Here's a preview.

Mega-nificent

For those of you who've never seen Mega Man (and if not, just what solar system have you inhabited for the past five years?), Mega Man V's game play will be similar to his prior adventures. This means that there's plenty of vertically- and horizontally-scrolling, one-player action and adventure of the distinctly Mega Man variety. Everyone's favorite space guy has to run, jump, dodge, shoot, and strategize his way past a series of weird high-tech obstacles (and equally odd enemies) in search of his arch-nemesis, Doc Wily.

Yup, Doc Wily's back with an all-new sinister plot. Mega Man's got to defeat the Doc's latest army of sci-fi robots. It seems the good doctor's been working overtime and has invented an entire new generation of super robots, including Star Man, Charge Man, Gravity Man, and Crystal Man.

Each of the new 'bots will, of course, tote a unique trademark weapon. The weapons are Mega Man's for the taking, if he can short-circuit the super robots. Per usual, the challenge lies in deciphering the best order in which to take on the 'bots in order to snag the right weapon to use against the right mechanical menace.

In a year when we're seeing fewer and fewer NES games, it's nice to see an old familiar face like Mega Man's. Long may he fire!